Implementation of a Gym - 9012 Words

Project Management 2nd half-semester Spring 2011 Group Project Management Opening a Gym MSc in Management9th May 2011 | Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2 Motivations 2 2. Teamwork in Project Management 2 Challenges and responsibilities in Project Management Team 3 Internal and External Players - Project Governance 4 Organisations in Project Management 4 3. Project Environment 5 SWOT Analysis 6 4. The 7-S’s of Project Management 6 5. Work Breakdown Structure 8 6. Description of the Activities Necessary to Create the Project 8 Stage Model 9 7. Critical Path (CPM method) 12 Gantt Diagram 13 Activity on Node (AON) Representation 13 8. Analysis of Costs amp; Revenues of the Project 14 Estimative of the†¦show more content†¦These team roles are really important to create synchronisation among team members, allowing for the right balance in terms of work and â€Å"psychological health†. This is clearly related to the team lifecycle, which normally is constituted by five stages. The first one is the collection stage, in which the team has been recently formed and the individual behaviour is driven by the desire to be accepted by the others and by the willingness to avoid conflict and controversy. Hence, the team’s effectiveness is not too high at this point. The second one is the entrenchment stage, in which the team openly confront their ideas and perspectives, which generates some sort of conflict that needs to be solved (due to the fierce competition to impose different ideas for consideration). At this stage, the effectiveness of the team is hindered, being low. The third one is the resolution stage, in which the team solves the problems an d conflicts arose in the previous phase and define some norms that shape behaviour. At this point, the effectiveness of the team increases significantly. The fourth one is the synergy stage, in which the team becomes really synchronised, with all the members highly motivated and autonomous in performing the tasks. At this stage the team accomplishes the highest level of effectivenessShow MoreRelatedSwot1540 Words   |  7 PagesSWOT and Strategy Evaluation: Fitness Centers Industry Amberly Locke PHL/320 September 14, 2015 Carolyn Harrison It today’s society, â€Å"going to the gym† has become a normal phrase heard around the world; however, the fitness center industry is not exactly in the spot light of today’s media and headline news. So, that sparks the interest of what makes the fitness center industry succeed, what are their strengths. What about the fitness center industry in the future; are there weaknesses thatRead MoreSwot Analysis: the Fitness Center Industry Essay1569 Words   |  7 PagesSWOT Analysis: Fitness Centers Industry Courtney Albertson PHL/320 30 March 2015 Matthew Hazlett SWOT Analysis: Fitness Center Industry It today’s society, â€Å"going to the gym† has become a normal phrase heard around the world; however, the fitness center industry is not exactly in the spot light of today’s media and headline news. So, that sparks the interest of what makes the fitness center industry succeed, what are their strengths. What about the fitness center industry in the future;Read MoreCost Benefit Analysis Of Fit Life Gym1441 Words   |  6 Pages Cost Benefit Analysis of Fit Life Gym: Implementing a Daycare Center Arathi Elango, Briana Basilone, Cristina Rodriguez Mike Stafford HR Decision Making: Financial Decisions Professor Coffey ROI Project Due: 12/8/16 To: Senior Vice President of Human Resources The current goal and recommendation for our company Fit Life Gym, a physical enhancement and fitness center, is to obtain the necessary financial resources to provide our members with a safeRead MoreHow Effective Marketing, Financial and Human Resource Management Activities Could Be Expected to Contribute to Fitness Firsts Success.1496 Words   |  6 PagesFitness First is the largest gym, health and fitness group in the world with more than 1.5 million members and over 550 fitness clubs. (www.fitnessfirst.co.uk, 2009) The Chartered Institute of Marketing defines marketing as â€Å"†¦the management process which identifies, anticipates and supplies customer requirements efficiently and profitably. Ace (2001:2) The first part of this essay will focus on the ‘four P’s’ of the marketing mix in relation to implementations taken by Fitness First in theseRead MoreVr Queen Street : A New 4.5 Star Hotel Essay1457 Words   |  6 Pagesfacility is there for the parent who want to spend their time alone without children. LCD TV’S are available for the entertainment. You can call any time to Hotel Room Service if you have any problem. Bar is there for enjoying in late night. Tour Groups Gym-This enables the groups to work out for e.g.: having a Rugby Team to work out and this specifies them as to work out in with the industry and not outside. Porters-It is important to provide the Porter’s Service for the time when the groups stay in theRead MoreMarketing Mix Strategy For North Shore Gym1665 Words   |  7 PagesMarketing Mix Strategy Product North Shore gym is able to offer a wide variety of services that will contribute to a healthy lifestyle. If the gym is utilized to it’s maximum potential, customers will be able to recognize changes in their body, as well as their lifestyle, which will push them to continue making positive strides in their life. With our wide-range of classes, qualified personal trainers, dietary plans, state-of-the-art equipment, our members will have all the tools they need to succeedRead MoreEngagement Is The Process Of Building A Relationship With The Client Essay1264 Words   |  6 Pageswomen’s gym. She will see a personal trainer at the gym three days a week whenever she has free time. We formulated and signed a contract that outlined the intervention plan and terms of our relationship, including the date we plan to terminate our relationship. By signing this contract, she agrees to knowing the conditions of my services and carrying out the intervention plan we’ve set for her. We’ve agreed to see each other once a week for the next three months. Implementation Implementation is whenRead MoreAdaptive Physical Education Is Physical Education Which1359 Words   |  6 Pagesas appropriate for the person with a disability as it is for a person without a disability. It is an extremely useful class especially in the high school setting. Disabled children are able to do exercises they normally cannot do, experience full gym classes with non disabled students, and learn new and useful fundamental skills they will use for the rest of their lives. To teach a class like this the teacher needs to learn the FAIER model, lean different skills to teach disabled children and beRead MoreThe Current Remuneration And Performance Management Of The Customer Service / Sales Team At Majestic Health And Fitness Ltd1617 Words   |  7 Pages Of the 105 employees, 24 are in the role for customer service/sales of which eight are in part-time positions and the rest full-time. With a large corporate market base, Majestic Health and Fitness is considered and advert ises itself as a premium gym facility in both Wellington and Auckland. The aligned strategy of Majestic Health and Fitness is being a cost defender with management characteristics of a traditional, mechanistic method. As figure 1.1 shows, management is hierarchical and veryRead MoreTechnological Model Of The Technological Environment1092 Words   |  5 Pagesimplement systems that help solve human problems. These systems, as they relate to the fitness center, are far reaching and affect all aspects of gym design and operations, including equipment design, training aids, member experience and operational efficiency. On the technology dimension aspect, one of the most beneficial recent technological advances for gym members has been in the area of training aids, such as heart rate monitors/controls, MP3 players and downloadable workout routines, equipment

Beowulf A Medieval Plot Twist - 867 Words

OPry 1 OPry 4 Anita Kay O?Pry-Reynolds H. Zengos Eng 561 19 January 2016 Beowulf: A Medieval Plot Twist. Beowulf encapsulates all the requirements that modern readers have come to expect of a medieval hero. He is loyal, brave, pious, what stubborn while at the same time he displays traits that represent the anti-hero. He exemplifies both the hero and the anti-hero. Beowulf truly is something for everyone. The epic poem bearing the name of the erstwhile hero is the bellwether for epic poetry; it and Homer?s works are the standards that all epic poems are compared. The epic tale of the hero Beowulf differs for the generic formula taking the medieval audience and the modern reader in a different direction then the works that list each triumph in succession. Beowulf, while heavily pagan in its content is influenced by the new religion, early on the reader finds that Grendel is a descendant of Cain, the biblical committee of the first murder (Basewell and Howland Schotter). Beowulf is acting as a religious hero in not suffering a monster such as Grendel or his mother to survive. He is also acting as the stereotypical medieval hero slaying monsters and dragons to protect his people and others who are in distress (King). Judy King (2003), posits Beowulf is the traditional representation of the great hero, from the very beginning of the poem where he calls out to listen to the very end in his dramatic death (King 454). King writes Beowulf, differs from other traditional poems of

Audit Memo Free Essays

Audit Planning Memorandum for Database Environment Date| 02/04/2013| To| Audit Senior Management| School Board| Temple University| Prepared By| Shan Jiang| ————————————————- Background Types of RDBMS: MySQL 5. 0 – an open-source database used extensively in small or medium-sized web applications. One of the simplest databases to secure from hacking because of the small attack surface it exposes Number of DB servers: 3 Business units rely on the DBs: Sales and Distribution, Financial Services, Procurement, and Accounts Receivable. We will write a custom essay sample on Audit Memo or any similar topic only for you Order Now Organizational structure of the group who manages the DBs: Data Owner, system administrator, and database administrator. 1. 0 Internal Audit Objective and Scope 2. 1 Internal Audit Objective The objective of this review is to audit confidentiality, integrity, and availability of XYZ Company’s MySQL 5. 0 database environment. 2. 2 Internal Audit Scope and Approach The scope of this review includes an assessment of MySQL 5. 0 database environment. Specifically, this review will include: * Physical and administrative control Concurrent access controls * Change controls * Server configuration control * Database checkpoints * Schema Modifications * Redundancy elimination and relationship verification * Database restructuring * Data backup and disaster recovery plan 2. 3 Deliverables Audit deliverables will consist of the following: * Fieldwork documentation * Finding Issues * Audit draft report * Action plan and recommendation * Audit final report It is planned that the above deliv erables will be delivered to you by 02/07/2013 for your review and subsequent discussion. . 0 High-Level Work Program Policy and standards, data backup and procedures, levels of access controls for data, data encryption, confidentiality, integrity, availability of data elements, database checkpoints at junctures, database reorganization, database restructuring procedures and write report. 3. 0 General Information 4. 4 Internal Audit Team The internal audit team, with roles and responsibilities, includes the following people: * Lua Li: associate, audit database basic step and general controls. * Jia Meng: associate, audit database operating system security * Shan Jiang: associate, audit database accounts and permissions management * Zhou Zhou: senior associate, audit password strength and review database privileges * Chao Lang: senior associate, audit data encryption * Jia Yu: manager, verify database auditing and activity monitoring. 4. 5 Duration of Internal Audit The duration of this internal audit will be for one month commencing on 02/11/2013. 02/11/2013-02/15/2013 Planning 02/16/2013-02/20/2013 Fieldwork and documentation 2/21/2013-02/25/2013 Issue discovery and validation 02/26/2013-04/01/2013 Solution development 04/02/3013-04/07/2013 Report drafting and issuance 04/08/2013-04/11/2013 Final report and issue tracking It is anticipated that the fieldwork, working papers and drafting of deliverables will be completed by Internal Audit Team. 4. 6 Location of Internal Audit The location of the internal audit will be performed at XYZ Company. It is predicted that a site vi sit to XYZ Company will be conducted during the course of this review. 4. 7 Temple University Previous Audits Previous Audit Version: March 3, 2012 Previous Critical Findings: Developers have direct access to update production code without permission. Impact: It is fixed. The DBMS team implemented a baseline tool for protecting the production code. The ability to check new code into this tool will be limited to the DBA. The team also documented procedures requiring approval and testing prior to submitting new production code for check-in. 4. 8 Key Contacts Contact| Position| Department| E-mail| Contact No. | Jim Green| Database Administrator| IT| Sdhs11@xyz. com| 435-234-8899| Lucas Xiao| System Administrator| IT| Ass123@xyz. om| 123-324-3211| David Han| Database Developer| IT| Xcv344@xyz. com| 876-123-1234| Ryan Li| System Analyst| IT| Jki678@xyz. com| 542-345-0989| Billy Zhou| Manager| IT| Nhy654@xyz. com| 324-123-4321| 4. 0 High-Level Work Schedule Date| Task| Contact| 02/11/2013-02/15/2013| Verify policies and procedures about database version and available patches| David Han| 02/16/2013-02/20/2013| Determine baseline for ad equate security setting and permissions on the directory and registry keys. | Ryan Li| 02/21/2013-02/25/2013| Verify legitimate accounts creation and password management capabilities. Jim Green| 02/26/2013-02/28/2013| Confidentiality, integrity, availability and encryption of data| Lucas Xiao| 03/01/2013-03/03/2013| Database checkpoints at junctures| Ryan Li| 03/04/2013-03/05/2013| Database reorganization| Lucas Xiao| 03/06/2013-03/08/2013| Database restructuring procedures| Jim Green| 03/09/2013-03/11/2013| Ready to report| Billy Zhou| 5. 0 Key concerns of management. Operating system administrators gains easy access to MySQL Server. SQL Server DBA’s has local administrator privileges on Windows. Data breaches that compromise IP or personal privacy. 6. 0 Manager Sign-off Billy Zhou 02/07/2013 How to cite Audit Memo, Essay examples

Leonardo da Vinci in Milan according to Giorgione Essay Example For Students

Leonardo da Vinci in Milan according to Giorgione Essay The objective of this essay is to provide an explanation of Leonardo da Vincis life and work as an artist in context with his time spent in Milan. Following an initial introduction to Leonardos formative years in Florence (and his apprenticeship to the sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio, 1435-88), I will attempt to explain the significance of his presence in Milan with detailed descriptions of his work there. Giorgio Vasari (1511-74) was also an artist and architect, but is perhaps better known for his book on the lives of well known painters, sculptors and architects (published 1550; from Cimbue to his autobiography which was included in a revised edition): Vasaris book offers his personal evaluation of the works of these artists, as well as discussions on the state of the arts. His easy, natural writing style helped to make his book one of the most enduring of art histories. His reflections on Leonardos life include insight specifically relating to his unusual character and the intellectual merit of his lifes work. Using this evidence I hope to provide valid observations on Leonardos significance as a father of the High Renaissance. Leonardo (who was christened Lionardo, the name to which Vasari refers) was born near the small town of Vinci on 15th April 1452. The town was situated in the Florentine province of Italy, where his father, Ser Piero was a notary. According to Vasari, Leonardo was somewhat of a child prodigy in his studies, but he showed little commitment to one single area, constantly finding new interests in other subjects: Thus in arithmetic, during the few months that he studied it, he made such progress that he frequently confounded his master by continually raising doubts and difficulties. He devoted some time to music Yet though he studied so many different things, he never neglected design and working in relief, those being the things which appealed to his fancy more than any other. Being very conscious of his sons talents, Ser Piero moved to Florence with Leonardo and his wife (not Leonardos mother, as he was illegitimate and never took his fathers name) to utilise them professionally. Being a friend of the artist and sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio (1435-88), Ser Piero convinced him to recruit Leonardo as an apprentice by the promise shown in his work. Verrocchio strongly encouraged da Vinci, and his admiration of his students talents convinced Verrocchio to allow Leonardo to participate in the creation of his own paintings and sculptures. According to Vasari, Leonardo was highly skilled in many fields of design, he prepared many architectural plans and elevations, and he was the first, though so young, to propose a navigable canal of the Arno River from Pisa to Florence. Vasari talks at length on the subject of Leonardos early drawing skills, delving with some depth into the aptitude of his draughtsmanship, often indicating that his works were executed like a master, which he became officially in 1478. Drawing may have been a craft in which he gleaned experience directly from Verrocchio, whos own biography by Vasari states: His drawings were) made with great patience and knowledge, among which are heads of women, with graceful manner and hair arrangements that, because of their exceeding beauty, Lionardo da Vinci always imitated. Although in 1472 he entered the San Luca guild of painters in Florence, which would indicate that he had attained a degree of professional independence, he remained with Andrea del Verrocchio until 1480. Of his earliest works, one that he painted as an assistant is the angel holding clothes, kneeling on the left of Verrocchios picture The Baptism of Christ (c. 1472-1475). Verrocchio, as indicated by Vasari, was so impressed by the implications of his pupils genius that would never afterwards touch colours, chagrined that a child should know more than he. Since Leonardos earliest large-scale work The Adoration of the Magi (begun 1481 unfinished), he had gained a reputation for leaving works incomplete, perhaps fittingly in the nature of this, his first commission an altarpiece for the chapel of the Palazzo Vecchio, the Florentine town hall, was never executed. Conveniently, Vasari attempts to provide an explanation for this force of habit: His knowledge of art, indeed, prevented him from finishing many things which he had begun, for he felt that his hand would be unable to realise the perfect creations of his imagination, as his mind formed such difficult, subtle and marvellous conceptions that his hands, skilful as they were, could never have expressed them. As to the truth of this statement, this is difficult to prove, but clarification could be seen in the great number and range of Leonardos studies and designs that never progressed further than the initial planning stages, due to his constant need to illustrate his new and innovative concepts. The Adoration of the Magi was an early illustration of Leonardos genius in technical innovation, even if it was unintentional. Despite the piece not being completed, the drawing and base painting serve to demonstrate the success of Leonardos technique of drawing straight onto the board without first having to demarcate outlines by using a collection of cartoons (preparatory sketches) as was the technique for painting in buon-fresco or in tempera. The cuban mile EssayThis provided an even greater sense of relief and a sculptural quality to paintings by using an exaggerated depiction of light and dark tones emphasising the shape of a form. I have chosen two works from this period, which by personal opinion, I consider to be the finest in his undertaking and most expressive of his paintings. The Portrait of Cecilia Gallerani (Lady with an Ermine) was painted around 1490 midway through his employment to Ludovico; indeed it is sometimes believed that the Lady was his mistress. This painting uses chiaroscuro to a great effect with modelling used around the side of the head, neck and upper chest and around the arms, clearly illustrating the depth of the figure. Notice how obscured the background is, thus making the use of sfumato impossible on the figure, except for where the torso of the ermine is cast in shadow by the Ladys hand and arm. Her clothing and jewellery appear very sophisticated and luxuriant incorporating crisp details in the fabric. The ermine itself, which was prized for its valuable fur, also acts as a designation of wealth. Dominican monks of the Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery commissioned possibly the most notable painting by Leonardo in Milan, The Last Supper painted using an experimentary use of media from 1495-8. A great work in its magnitude, the composition has become the epitome of Last Supper paintings, despite its well-known fragility it still remains following attempts at restoration since 1726. It is constantly falling apart since Leonardo attempted to work in oil and tempera on plaster. Vasari wrote of the work: Lionardo has seized the moment when the Apostles are anxious to discover who would betray their Master. All their faces are expressive of love, fear, wrath or grief at not being able to grasp the meaning of Christ, in contrast to the obstinacy, hatred and treason of Judas, while the whole work, down to the smallest details, displays incredible diligence, even the texture of the tablecloth being clearly visible so that actual cambric would not look more real. Vasari also professes to Leonardos diligence in working on this project, although according to an eyewitness report from one Matteo Bandello (narrated in Novella, 1497) the artist would at times paint in the refectory from sunrise to darkness, never laying down the brush to eat or drink. Then, days would lapse in which Leonardo would not touch a brush but would either contemplate what he had painted or labour at the Corte Vecchia on the monumental clay model for the Sforza equestrian monument, and then, when the fancy took him he would take a brush and give a few touches to one of the figures; and then suddenly he would leave and go elsewhere. The painting itself has little evidence of its former glory left, although the use of both chiaroscuro and sfumato are still visible in the scenery and between the figures, and this grants the vision a certain elegance of form and composition. The arrangement of the apostle figures in groups of three is often commented upon due to the number acting as a recurring theme in the painting; often the number three was used to designate the importance of the Holy Trinity. The robes are very much in the tradition of scholarly togas; there is still even a suggestion of lurid colour still left in the cloth. It was soon after he had completed this work that Leonardo withdrew from Milan as the Duke had done to escape the French who had overrun the state, French archers also destroyed the clay equestrian colossus that Leonardo had made by using it for target practice. Leonardo only returned to Milan in 1506 under the guardianship of the ruling French governor, Charles dAmboise, and still only visited whilst undertaking commissions. Leonardos lack of popularity (in his own time, as a named artist) is surprising. He was a victim of the cultural marginality of the Milanese court as well as of his own commitment to technical and scientific projects rather than to literature, and the scarcity of works circulating under his name. To some extent this is largely true, but obviously becoming famous was not a great ambition of Leonardos. As is mentioned, there was a lack of works (paintings) that would have had a circulation around important circles: By 1503, Leonardo had forged a reputation for jilting his patrons with unfinished projects. This would surely have been the case, but what cant truly be answered is, did this make Leonardo responsible for his own lack of popularity? It never seemed to be that way to Vasari anyhow, who wrote with a very sympathetic style about Leonardo, making eloquent excuses where Leonardo could be found blameworthy. It is probably true to say that Leonardo was highly respected as a founding father of the high period of the renaissance, and all in all lead a comfortable life worthy of his standing.

Is HRM a worthwhile investment for an SME

Introduction Organizations’ management teams are increasingly appreciating the importance of human capital in an effort to improve their organizations’ competitive advantage (Kok 2003). This has led to an increment in the number of studies being conducted with regard to best practices of managing human resources.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is HRM a worthwhile investment for an SME specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There has also been increased recognition of the purpose of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the modern economies. This realization illustrates that, there is a point of convergence between human resource management and small medium enterprises. Human resource management [HRM] deals with management of a firm’s workforce (Kok 2003). It is composed of a set of different but interrelated processes, activities, and functions that are aimed at attracting, developing, and retain ing an organization’s workforce. Some of the activities undertaken in HRM include employee recruitment, selection and formulation of effective appraisal and compensation scheme. Through HRM, organizations can develop and retain talented and energetic workforces that can contribute towards attainment of the formulated organizational strategies, missions, goals and objectives (Transky Heneman 2006). Additionally, integration of HRM practices and policies can significantly contribute towards a firm improving its performance. However, integration of HRM in SMEs is relatively low (Cooper Burke 2011). Previous studies reveal that, most SMEs do not make optimal use of HRM practices in their operations (Bacon, Hoque 2005). Some of these studies assert that, most SMEs tend to operate in a more flexible and informal manner compared to large enterprises. For example, Kok (2003) is of the opinion that, a firm’s size is directly related with its incidence towards HRM practices s uch as training and planning. However, small firms are less likely to invest in training for their employees, performance appraisal, and recruitment practices probably due to limited capital and revenues. HRM in SMEs is mostly characterized by administrative tasks whereas the more strategic matters are not perceived with the weight that they deserve. A study conducted by Hendry and others in 1991 reveals that, SMEs perceive investing in HRM as an additional undertaking beyond the level that is necessary to sustain their operations; a luxury that can only be afforded if the firm makes substantial profits (Kok 2003). However, considering the environmental uncertainty facing firms today, it is paramount for SMEs to evaluate their operational practices in order to remain competitive and HRM optimization is slowly becoming indispensable.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In additio n to being characterized as being informal, management teams of SMEs are also considered to be less specialized compared to large enterprises. Employees of SMEs tend to perform different tasks compared to large enterprises, which means that the level of specialization is relatively low. This aspect is well illustrated by a qualitative study conducted by Berkley and Heneman in 1999. The study took into account a random test on 117 SMEs whose human resource base was less than 100 employees. Findings of the study showed that, 15 of the SMEs considered had a human resource management department (Kok 2003). There is growing evidence that HRM practices tend to be sophisticated especially for SMEs. On the basis of the above analysis, it is evident that there is a significant level of deficiency with regard to HRM in SMEs. This paper is aimed at critically evaluating whether it is worthwhile for SMEs invest in HRM. Analysis of the trend of HRM Previous studies conducted have shown that, dev elopment of an effective workforce and organizational culture is one of the ways through which organizations can develop their competitive advantage. Firm and employee culture are considered to be some of the most fundamental aspects in the success of SMES. An example of such culture includes operating in a social responsible manner (Mankelow 2008). As a result, it is quite unprofessional for SMEs to continue underutilizing their human capital (Cooper Burke 2011). HRM has over the past decade become one of the most crucial aspects that both small and large organizations have to consider. There are a number of reasons that have contributed to this shift. Some of these reasons are explained in the paper. Currently, the business environment is increasingly becoming knowledge based. This means that firms are considering knowledge as an important source of competitive advantage. This has arisen from the high rate of globalization that is being experienced today (Knowles, Diamantis El-M ourhabi 2004). As a result of globalization, most economies are eliminating trade barriers thus presenting a challenge to firms through increased competition (Tsui Lai 2009). Therefore, it is paramount for organizational management teams to consider ways of enhancing their organization’s performances (Cooper Burke 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is HRM a worthwhile investment for an SME specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the development of the education sector in different economies, the workforce is becoming more and more educated. There has also been considerable growth with regard to employees’ expectations on working environment and quality work. Additionally, staff shortages have made firms experience intense competition for human capital. As a result, SMEs are reconsidering on the best practices that they can retain their talented workforce (Cooper Burke 2011). The importance of HRM in both large and SMEs is also being enhanced by the demographic changes occurring within the labour market. One of the demographic changes being witnessed arises from the fact that the workforce is becoming aged. As a result, it has become essential for SMEs to consider incorporating performance incentives and training and development initiatives in order to maximize on their employees’ working capacity. Organizations are also experiencing a significant transformation with regard to clients and customer expectations. As a result of customers and clients becoming more knowledgeable, they are demanding effective, efficient and high quality services and products (Cooper Burke 2011). Analysis of the changes occurring within the business environment reveals that, it is critical for businesses to consider ways of improving their competitive advantage through integration of HRM practices in their management practices. Theoretical frameworks formulated to explain the importance of HRM in SMEs A number of theories have been advanced to explicate the relevance of SMEs investing in HRM. One of the theoretical explanations is universalistic in nature. The theory is based on HRM best practices (Cooper Burke 2011). Through integration of HRM best practices, SMEs can attain considerable improvement in their performance. One of the ways through which this can be attained is by incorporating the concept of employee training and development (Jolly 2003). Findings of a study conducted in 2002 on the perspective of employee development in SMEs revealed that, training and development is an indispensable component in a firm’s effort to attain the desired growth. This arises from the fact that training and development contributes towards increased productivity within an organization’s workforce. Increase in productivity arises from the fact that employees perceive a higher opportunity for growth within such an organization. Training and development also e nhances the employees’ level of motivation. Despite the benefits associated with training and development, some parties are of the view that training and development can result into increased employee turnover as a result of poaching (Jolly 2003). However, for training to be successful in SMEs, management teams should ensure that it is well imbedded within the firm’s workplace, informal and flexible. The theory also asserts that incorporation of HRM by SMEs would result in adoption of performance based pay. According to Longenecker (2006), it is paramount for SMEs to acknowledge the importance of formulating a compensation plan that will contribute towards attraction and retention of well-qualified personnel.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the ways through which SMEs can achieve this goal is through incorporation of HRM best practices. Some of the elements that they should consider when formulating the compensation plan include competitive salary and wage levels, and financial incentives that will improve employee productivity. One of the financial incentives that are most effective in SMEs includes sharing profits. This arises from the fact that it is possible for SMEs to assess individual performance (Longenecker 2006). The second theoretical framework is behavioural in nature. The theory asserts that human resource management practices and policies have a significant influence on employees’ behaviour, for example, through organizational commitment, employee creativity and work engagement. These aspects consequently affect productivity, profitability and performance (Cooper Burke 2011). The third theoretical framework is economic in nature. This arises from the fact that significant cost is incurred i n the process of adopting formal HR practices. According to Phillips (2005), acquisition and maintenance of a strong workforce is quite expensive. There are numerous cost categories that are involved in the development of a strong workforce. Some of these are related to recruitment, selection, indoctrination, initial training, formulation of competitive compensation and reward systems, socialization and exit costs. This can be a challenge especially to SMEs compared to large enterprises. How HRM is worthwhile investing by SMEs There are a number of reasons that illustrate why it is worthwhile for SMEs to invest in HRM. For example, through incorporation of effective training programs, SMES can be able to derive more value from their workforces. This arises from the fact that the business will be able to effectively address the most pertinent issues facing its operation. Investing in HRM can also improve the employees’ attitude towards work. One of the ways through which this change of attitude is attained is by integrating effective leadership measures (Cooper Burke 2011). Findings of a study conducted in the US on leadership training revealed that revenues of firms that incorporate leadership training grow with a margin of more than 25% compared to their training cost (Cooper Burke 2011). This well illustrates the fact that training can result in improvement of SMEs financial performance. Additionally, investing in HRM can significantly improve the performance of SMEs through improved employee engagement. There are a number of ways through which organizations can achieve this; some of these include ensuring that the employees have a comprehensive understanding of their performance expectations. Additionally, SMEs should ensure that employees have sufficient resources to support successful completion of tasks. By investing in HRM, SMEs can be able to contribute towards staff development, improve on employee input, in addition to compelling the employe es to be focused towards attainment of organizational goals and mission. Integration of HRM in SMEs can also contribute towards development of a strong workplace culture. Work within the modern economy is becoming more and more demanding (Ulrich 1997). For example, organizations are demanding more from their employees with few resources. There has also been a decline in employment security, which is making the employees to reconsider their commitment and contribution to their employers (Ulrich 1997). However, incorporation of HRM by SMEs can significantly improve their performance in a number of ways. For example, HRM contributes towards development of an enabling environment for employees to work in. One of the reasons why organizations are experiencing a challenge with regard to employee turnover relates to the current global economic changes. Employees are constantly faced with the challenge of ensuring that they provide for their families. To achieve this, employees are consider ing improving their competitive edge within the labour market. To achieve this, employees are considering going back to school. The employees work demands coupled with their desire to enhance their competitiveness in the labour market are leading to increased stress levels amongst the employees. This arises from the fact that the employees are not able to balance between work and life. Occurrence of such a phenomenon would have adverse effects on the employees productivity and hence the organization’s performance and competitive advantage (Williamson, Lewis Massey 2011). Some of the HR practices that organization management teams should consider in order to deal with this challenge include incorporation of work-life balance and stress management policies (Williamson, Lewis Massey 2011). Effective formulation and implementation of work-life balance can be beneficial to SMEs through achievement of a healthier and happier life for the employees. One of the ways through which m anagement teams of SMEs can achieve this formulation is by integrating effective HR policies; for example, flexible career options and working hours (Cooper Burke 2011). Integration of such strategies can significantly improve the employees level of satisfaction and hence their productivity. Considering the competitive nature of the labour market, it is paramount for SMEs to ensure that they acquire a strong workforce (Michalski 2011). This can only be attained by ensuring an effective employee recruitment process. However, most SMEs do not consider investing their time and money towards developing their human capital. As a result, they do not have a formal employee recruitment process. Recruitment of a strong workforce in SMEs is also hindered by the fact that they are not well connected in the labour market (Cooper Burke 2011). Additionally, most SMEs tend to suffer image problem amongst job seekers. To improve on their ability of recruiting a strong work workforce, it is paramo unt for SMEs to be concerned on becoming more legitimate. To deal with this challenge, it is crucial for SMEs to consider investing in a comprehensive recruitment process. Through recruitment, an organization can attract a wide range of workforce to select from. SMEs should consider several issues in order to attract high-quality job applicants. For example, they should invest in initiatives aimed at making their organizations recognizable amongst job applicants (Hartman Spiro 2005). SMEs should also invest in developing human resource policies such as those used by large enterprises. This can be attained by outsourcing HR consultants to aid in the formulation and implementation of the policies. Such investment in HRM would have significant influence in SMEs’ operational efficiency. The recruitment process is followed by selection of the most qualified staff which is a relatively complex process (Harney Dundon 2006). Due to time and financial constraints, most SMEs conduct reactive selection and recruitment process. Additionally, a substantial proportion of SMEs do not have sufficient understanding on the requirements of a position intended to be filled. However, to ensure that they develop a strong workforce, it is critical for SMEs to invest in HRM practices such as employee selection and recruitment. Upon acquiring a strong workforce, it is paramount for management teams of SMEs to consider on the most effective ways of motivating and retaining employees. This arises from the fact that underperforming employees can be a threat to the success of SMEs. HRM provides a solution on the best practices of employee motivation. These strategies range from monetary to non-monetary benefits. Some of the non-monetary benefits include recognition of employee performance and promotions. To deal with underperforming employees, SME managers should ensure that they maintain constant communication with such employees in order to indicate what the firm expects of the m. Currently, SMEs can achieve this more effectively and efficiently considering the growth in information communication technology; for example, by using emerging social communication networks such as Twitter and video conferencing. This means that SMEs should invest in the current technology. Maintaining communication within an organization can significantly contribute towards development of a strong bond between employees and the management team (Cooper Burke 2011). SMEs, which have incorporated HRM in their operation, are able to deal with changes occurring in the business environment. This capacity to handle change easily is made possible by the fact that HRM enables organizations to undertake comprehensive human resource planning. As a result, they are able to evaluate and anticipate their current and future human resource needs. Therefore, investing in HRM can enable SMEs to be proactive in dealing with environment changes rather than being reactive. Conclusion The above ana lysis makes it evident that, SMEs do not pay much emphasis on HRM compared to large organizations. For example, studies conducted reveal that only a few SMEs have a functional human resource department. This means that, human resource activities are conducted more informally. There are a number of reasons that explain this trend. Some of the reasons range from lack of knowledge on HRM by management teams of SMEs to the high cost involved in implementing HRM. However, changes occurring within the business environment such as globalization have increasingly made SMEs to reconsider the role of HRM in an effort to survive in the challenging business environment. Despite this, the above analysis underscores the importance of HRM in SMEs. For example, despite investing in HRM policies and practices being costly to SMEs with regard to financial and time requirements compared to large organizations, there are numerous benefits that SMEs can achieve. Incorporation of HRM practices can contri bute towards improvement of SMEs’ competitive advantage in a number of ways. For example, by investing in training and development, SMEs can improve the employees working efficiency and effectiveness. Additionally, organizations that invest in training and development are more efficient with improving employee satisfaction. This arises from the fact that the employees develop a perception that the organization has an interest in their heart. This will consequently culminate in improvement of their productivity and hence their performance. Considering the dynamic nature of the business environment, it has become necessary for SMEs to shift their operations towards becoming knowledge-based to be competitive. This can only be achieved if SMEs undertake sufficient training and development. By investing in employee recruitment and selection, there is a high probability of SMEs developing a strong human resource base. The resultant effect is that the firm’s competitiveness w ill be enhanced. Additionally, if effectively formulated and implemented, investing in HRM practices and policies can result in the creation of an enabling working environment. This argument holds because HRM advocates for firms to incorporate strategies, which will contribute towards a high level of employee satisfaction. Some of these strategies relate to ensuring that the employees are well remunerated and their performance recognized by conducting sufficient performance appraisals. Investing in HRM increases the probability of SMEs to achieve their goals and objectives. One of the ways through which this scenario is made possible arises from the fact that HRM advocates for effective management of employees; for example, by integrating the concept of teamwork. Effective organizational leadership also plays a critical role with regard to enhancing cohesiveness in an organization. Considering the contribution of HRM towards organizational success, it is vital for SMEs to incorporat e the best HRM policies and practices, because as explicated in this paper, HRM is a worthwhile investment for SMEs. Reference List Bacon, N Hoque, K 2005, ‘HRM in the SME sector: valuable employees and coercive networks’, International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 16 no. 11, pp. 1976-1999. Cooper, C Burke, R 2011, Human resource management in small business: Achieving peak performance, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham. Harney, B Dundon, T 2006, ‘Capturing complexity: Developing an integrated approach to analyzing HRM in SMEs’, Human Resource Management Journal, vol. 16 no.1, pp. 48 – 73. Hartman, K Spiro, R 2005, Recapturing store image in customer-based store equity: A construct conceptualization, Indiana University, Indiana. Jolly, A 2003, Skills and Training Directory: A Complete Sourcebook of Best Practice and Training Providers, Kogan Page, London. Knowles, T, Diamantis, D El-Mourhabi, J 2004, The globalization of tourism and hospita lity, Thomson, London. Kok, J 2003, Human resource management within small and medium-sized enterprises, Rozenberg Publishers, Amsterdam. Longenecker, J 2006, Small business management: An entrepreneurial emphasis, Thomson, Ohio. Mankelow, G 2008, ‘Social responsibility paradox of small business human resource management,’ International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 19 no. 12, pp. 2171-2181. Michalski, A 2011, Human resource controlling in small and medium enterprises: Components and possible approaches, Berlin, GRIN Verlag. Phillips, J 2005, Investing in your company’s human capital: Strategies to avoid spending too little or too much, AMACOM, New York. Transky, J Heneman, R 2006, Human resource strategies for the high growth entrepreneurial firm, Information Age Publishing, Greenwich. Tsui, A Lai, K 2009, Professional practices of human resource management in Hong Kong: Linking HRM to organizational success, Hong Kong University, Hong Kong. Ulri ch, D 1997, Human resource champions: The next agenda for adding value and delivering results, Harvard Business School, Boston. Williamson, A, Lewis, K Massey, C 2011, Work-life balance in small business: The impact of firm and family milestone, Wellington, New Zealand Centre for SME Research. This essay on Is HRM a worthwhile investment for an SME was written and submitted by user Vivienne Hull to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

An investigation into the effect of chunking on recall Essays

An investigation into the effect of chunking on recall Essays An investigation into the effect of chunking on recall Essay An investigation into the effect of chunking on recall Essay I chose the experimental method because this brings advantages like I can control most of my variables but not all. Some controlled variables which I have are that each participant gets the same instructions, each person gets the same amount of time this is to keep the experiment as fair as possible.Some variables that I will not be able to control are things like the time of day I ask each person because I got to see when I have some spare time to do so, I will proberly not be able to make sure each person is under the same surroundings again due to time and this could affect my results because people mite not be at there best at a certain time of day. Participants My experiment is aimed at 16yr olds students of a mixed gender.They were selected through the opportunity sampling method because they were situated in the same room as my self and are all from the same college QE. Materials I used equipment such as a stopwatch to time each individual to make sure each one had the exact same time, I provided a pen and a sheet of paper for everyone who took part in my experiment. I chose my list of abbreviations by thinking of a topic like TV and than I thought about all the channels and there abbreviations but all had to be 3 letters each.Procedure The first thing I did after I had chosen what experiment I was going to do was think of a list abbreviations that had to be 3 letters each and altogether had to be 24 letters. I than made simple instructions for the participants to follow and printed it out. Later on I went into the canteen around 11am and asked people if they would take part in my experiment, I told them that they did not have to take part against there will and could withdraw at anytime during the experiment but also reassured them that all there information would be kept confidential.I gave each participant 1min to have a look at the letters, letter string or chunked list and than recorded the results on a rough sheet of paper. After I had gathered up all the info I started writing up my experiment. Discussion My results show that my prediction was correct and that more people remembered the letters from the chunked list than the letter string also that Millers theory was correct that if we chunk information and give them a meaning we are more likely to remember more than 7 things in our STM so my results agree with Millers theory.If I could make any modifications it would be that I would ask participants at the same time of day rather than at different times because this could affect the results because participants mite not be at there best at a certain time of day or mite jus be having a bad day altogether. Another thing I would change is that I would use only students who do not do psychology because people who do psychology mite now whats going on and may have already done the experiment before so this could affect the results if they know the theory behind the experiment.Criticism with my experiment is the location because the canteen was to noisy, I would like it be in a quite room were I could ask all the participants at the same time of day on the same day so it would be as fair as possible. If I was able to make these changes this may have affected my results because people may have remembered more letters in each situation and this may have even affected my hypothesis. Again the confounding variables were the noise, location, people may not have been at there best at that time of day and other general distractions occur in the canteen .Ethical issued were that I never forced anyone into participating and always gave them the option of withdrawing anytime during the experiment but also told them that all information would be kept confidential. Further work from this experiment is that I could use it to revise for final exams as it has lots of vital information. Results My results show that my prediction was correct and that chunking information increases capacity in your STM and also that Millers theory was correct

Ethics and Morals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethics and Morals - Essay Example It is regarded by society, religion culture and family setting. On the other hand, ethics is about the decisions which we make. When an individual takes an action with conforms to the societal beliefs and standards, that action are regarded to be ethical. Morals and ethics are guiding principles which assist in giving directions to a person’s conduct. Many at times, people tend to make conclusions that will be of favour to them (Nietzsche, 4). It is essential for a person to act and make ethical decision at all times, even when experiencing a difficult moment. It is also important to choose for a resolution which will be fair to everyone since we will be liable to our actions and deeds whether good or bad. The ultimate goal of these societal values is to make the world a better place. The evaluation of the good and the bad of a deed are based on a couple of issues which pertains to the values of morality in the society (Nietzsche & Arendt). The presumption of an issue by the e ntire community is a worrying trend. A person can be timid about reprimanding a certain perpetual societal evils, if the society approves it. It is argued individual absent at the instance of an occurrence should not be allowed to deliberate on the issue. No legal proceedings in court would be a success if we allow ourselves to be deceived by this notion. Substantive measures must be enforced to ensure obedience of the law to the letter. A person can use his capacity to ascertain the truth of the matter without necessarily being a witness to an action when it occurred. A verdict is not passed based on hints at that point in time. A good judge should gather effective and concrete evidence that will help him doubt an eyewitness submission or to disregard inappropriate judgements made by those who witnessed a happening of an event. Passing out judgement without ones presence might be considered to be an element of arrogance. In a moral and ethical perspective, it is basically pointing out what is right or wrong and is totally acceptable since it conforms to codes of ethics. Our society is engulfed in fear of judgement that has been confused by a biblical point of view. â€Å"Never judge and you will not be judged†. This approach is intertwined with throwing the fast stone. Reluctance to judge the right and wrong prowls that there is no voluntariness to an agent. Anyone is accountable and answerable to their deeds. Rising up of the issues of morality even as a by the way, is accompanied by confrontations to the persons who instigated them. Many people tend to keep quiet due to fear as a result of inadequate self-consciousness, confidence and being ego centric. The modesty attitude of saying a person is not worth to judge is also an impediment to the conformity to morals and ethics. This reflects the resemblance in people’s attitude and mentality. Those who make an effort to uphold to decency are considered to be hypocrites or consecrated therefore, t hey are marginalized. Thus, the immense outrage and the uproar in the attempt to correct particular blame on an individual, rather than rebuking all actions or historical tendencies. One can get an insight by recalling on what Hitler did to Plato, Nihilism, Giacchino da Fiore, the French revolution. Hitler was a considered to be murderer, politically powerful and strong. His historical traits and background cannot explain exactly who he really was and his general exercise of authority towards people’

'Intellectual Property rights have, throughout history, increased in Essay

'Intellectual Property rights have, throughout history, increased in scope and shifted towards greater protection for their owners'. Critically assess the main - Essay Example l property is very wide and includes literary and artistic works, films, computer programs, inventions, designs and marks used by traders for their goods or services.’1 The law makes sure that the owners of Intellectual Property creations are protected. However, the law in regards to IP rights is never stable since IP rights are many different types of rights developed at its own pace at a national and international level. IP rights are protected at a national level, but at the end of the 19th century International Intellectual Property started to develop at a more international level. Copyright means the right to make copies2. A work will not be protected unless it is original3, fixated.4 Copyright has developed extensively from the time before the printing machine to the modern luxuries of the modern world. The first copyright case dated back to 567 AD. The case of Finnian v Columba where Columba made a copy of his teachers Psalter. Following this the Statutes of the University of Paris in 1223 legalized the duplication of texts for the use within the university.5 Following this the first printer was developed, creating the first ‘bestseller’.6 The printing press brought on a period of piracy and chaos. The factor that brought everything to a comprehensive balance was when the statute of Anne was passed in 1709. If the author was alive when their right expired after 14 years, another 14 years was granted. A dispute arose on whether or not the author had a perpetual common law right to print or publish his work by assigning a perpetual publisher to do so. This dispute was settled in Donaldson v Beckett.7 The author died and his copyright was sold by his executors to Beckett. Who in return sued Donaldson for infringement of copyright. It was stated in this case that ‘the author did have a common law rights that were potentially perpetual (that is, the right of first printing and publishing), but once the work was published, this common law right

Response to a Rodriguez Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Response to a Rodriguez - Essay Example The language barrier has been shown as the major drawback into assimilation processes that an immigrant comes across when he/she comes to a foreign land. I agree with Rodriguez about the changes that he underwent were necessary for him to finally accept his new country as his own. The changes were also needed for the natives to accept him within their fold. According to Rodriguez, the initial years were tough for him as a child because he and his family had not made concerted efforts to overcome the barriers of the language and were satisfied with the little knowledge of their host country’s language. Inside their home, they all felt comfortable because they could express their feelings and emotions in their won language. But outside the home, they were diffident and awkward because of the lack of adequate knowledge of the English language which made communication with outsider difficult. Once he became confident that he could express himself in the native language of English, it became easier for him to interact with others, feel more comfortable and develop a sense of belonging. These are the common challenges immigrants fac e and overcoming language barriers becomes the key to the process of assimilation. Rodriguez had undergone the painful experiences of two societies, public and private. While the public society had made him self conscious, the private society at home had given him love and happiness. Looking at the wider implications of the two and the role of languages, he found it is imperative one learn the foreign language or English, so the immigrants can effectively overcome the feeling of alienation. The language is the main mode of communication that facilitates better understanding as well as helps to build relationship. It also ultimately lets one have an identity in a foreign land and promotes acceptance of immigrants within mainstream society. The middle class ethnics and early settlers

Property Prices in Sydney

Property Prices in Sydney Sydney Property Prices Executive Summary In early March 2014, the governor of Reserve Bank, Glenn Stevens, warned house owners that Sydney property prices including houses will keep rising. For this reason, he cautioned home buyers never to borrow so much debt because, like the house prices are anticipated to continue rising, they can equally fall. Foreign investors have been moving to Australia at a very high rate especially those from China. The business people increasingly buy houses in Australia particularly those at the hot Sydney market. This has caused Sydney house prices to shoot up at a very rapid rate. This rapid rise in Sydney house prices has also been caused by few homes in Australia that only leave the cashed-up foreign investors with the opportunity to purchase those that are available. This situation creates a big problem to first home buyers who do not have as much money to purchase such expensive houses. Table of Contents Executive Summary Table of Contents Introduction Sydney house prices The key stakeholders that are impacted by the rise in Sydney house prices Economic theories Other relevant issues in the article Conclusion References Appendices Introduction Since 1983, house prices in Sydney have been increasing and this trend has been constant for over thirty years. The rapid rise in Sydney house prices is contributed by an increase in house demand by foreign buyers, as well as the low supply of houses in Australia. The purpose of this report is to present the causes and impacts of the rapid rise in Sydney house prices, and to provide possible solutions to the problem. The report begins by analyzing the present situation in Sydney as far as house prices are concerned, including major contributors and possible impacts. This is followed by description of the stakeholders that may be impacted by the rise in Sydney house prices. The report also explains the present problem in Sydney in terms of economic theory and concepts of demand and supply. The last section of the report focuses on possible solutions to the rapid rise in Sydney house prices. Sydney house prices Sydney house prices have rapidly increased over the recent past. Home buyers increasingly move to Australia to look for new homes for residential purposes and for investment. The rapid increase in prices is attributed to an increase in demand for Australian real estate from foreign buyers that have resulted into several bidders quoting very huge prices (Macken 2014). Home owners have raised house prices in Sydney because foreign investors, especially from China, increasingly buy local homes. These foreign investors are attracted to Australia by the Australian significant investor visa. The significant investor visa attracts prominent investors and business people to Australia and increase innovation and economic growth (Nicholls and Macken, 2014). Additionally, the Canadian government has cut its Federal Immigrant Investor Program and the recent change in the Canadian Visa scheme is expected to attract even more investors and business people to Sydney (Macken 2014). Australian houses are also expensive because of low supply of the stuff (Nicholls and Macken, 2014). Many Australian families increasingly buy new residential homes resulting into the rapid increase in house prices. This form of demand is driven by education as well as lifestyle. Highly educated people believe that they should stay in executive homes. They are therefore attracted to purchase such homes that are available in Sydney at high prices. Again, many Australian men point out that they want quality lives for their wives and families and since price is equated to quality, they end up buying Sydney houses at high prices which keeps these prices high. Foreign investors from China are likely to keep Sydney house prices high as they move to establish industries in Australia concerning the fact that China has strict policy against pollution (Macken 2014). It is anticipated that a consistent rise in Sydney house prices will soon render new home buyers homeless because they will not be able to cope w ith the high prices (Johnstone 2014). However, the Reserve Bank brings back hope to such people by stating that Sydney house prices are likely to fall in the near future due to low interest rates that have encouraged Australians to build new homes (Hutchens 2014). The key stakeholders that are impacted by the rise in Sydney house prices The rapid rise in Sydney house prices may impact a number of stakeholders including home owners, upgraders, foreign investors, local investors, first home buyers, second home buyers, the society and the Australian government. Home owners will have to increase the quality of their houses and build them in different architectural designs to attract home buyers. In addition, the rapid increase in Sydney house prices will compel home owners to consider building varieties of executive houses suited for investment and residential purposes (Macken 2014). As more and more foreign investors come to Australia, the upgraders will want to sell off their present houses in order to build new ones that will meet the current demands of families and businesses (Nicholls and Macken, 2014). Foreign investors are likely to be impacted by the rapid rise in Sydney house prices as they will be compelled to dig deep into their pockets and give out the required amounts before they can be allowed house owners hip. Like the foreign investors, local investors will also have to pay for the houses as per the prevailing market price. Unfortunately, some local investors might not afford to pay these prices, leading to market domination by the foreign investors (Macken 2014). First home buyers are those individuals who are purchasing homes for the first time. This group of customers lacks home purchasing experience and they may not have as much money to pay for the expensive houses. Eventually, they might soon become homeless if the current situation persists. Second home buyers on the other hand have bought homes before and can easily adapt to the rapid rise in Sydney house prices. They would thus have an advantage of house ownership at the prevailing prices as opposed to first home buyers (Johnstone 2014). With many foreign investors acquiring new residences in Australia as a result of rapid rise in house prices, the Australian population will obviously increase. Increase in population is ass ociated with environmental pollution and scarcity of resources. The Australian government must therefore make a change in its policy to ensure that these foreign investors are peacefully accommodated in the country. Even though all these groups will be impacted by the rapid rise in Sydney house prices, the first home buyers will be impacted the most because they will not be able to purchase new houses if the house prices increase further (Johnstone 2014). Economic theories The two main factors causing the rapid rise in Sydney house prices are; increase in demand of houses from foreign buyers and low supply of homes. According to the law of demand, the quantity of commodity demanded decreases with increase in price and vice versa, all other factors remaining constant. This can be plotted graphically in form of a demand curve showing the relationship between price and quantity demanded of a product (Sakovics and Steiner, 2012). Supply curve is a graphical representation of the quantity of goods that suppliers are willing to bring to the market at the prevailing market prices, with all other factors remaining constant. The point of intersection of demand and supply curves is the equilibrium price and quantity (Liu and Agbola, 2014). All these three relationships are shown in figure 1. Other factors such as changes in consumer tastes and preferences can cause a shift in demand curve thereby changing the price of a particular commodity (Liu and Agbola, 2014 ). From the media report, an increase in demand for executive houses is Sydney is derived from the increase in number of foreign investors, education and lifestyle (Macken 2014). These factors cause a positive shift in the demand curve where the demand curve shifts to the right (Liu and Agbola, 2014). This shift generally causes an increase in house prices as presented in figure 2 in the appendices section. At the same time, there is low supply of houses in Sydney causing the rise in house prices (Nicholls and Macken, 2014). This causes the supply curve to shift to the left as shown in figure 3. These shifts in demand and supply curves contribute to the high house prices in Sydney. Other relevant issues in the article The fact that first home buyers are the stakeholders that are likely to be impacted the most with the rapid rise in prices of Sydney houses, I would ensure that they are not disadvantaged through abolishment of stamp duty for first home buyers and reintroduction of first home buyers incentives for houses. This will give first home buyers the opportunity to meet the expenses of purchasing new homes. In addition, I would encourage first home buyers to form partnerships and share mortgage costs. This is cheaper because those involved in the partnerships can formulate policies that govern their practice. They can also extend these houses and lease the extra portions to others who will in the process assist them in meeting costs (Johnstone 2014). Other alternate actions that can be taken to solve the economic problem in Sydney include building of more homes to increase their availability to foreign investors and Australian residents. Building more homes will mean an increase in supply of homes (Hutchens 2014). This will cause the supply curve to shift to the right thereby lowering the house prices as shown in figure 4. Conclusion In conclusion, both local and foreign home buyers in Sydney are faced with the challenge of rapidly rising house prices. The current trend observed in Sydney house prices occurs as result of scarcity of houses and the increasing demand from foreign buyers. If these prices continue to rise over the coming years, first home buyers will be rendered homeless as they will not be able to afford houses in Sydney. The increase in demand as well as low supply of houses cause a shift in the demand and supply curves respectively, which causes prices to rise. First home owners can acquire houses at the prevailing prices through formation of partnerships. Additionally, they can be assisted to fit in the current market through reintroduction of first home buyers’ incentives for houses. Consequently, building more homes in Sydney will increase the supply of houses and house prices will come down. References Hutchens, G 2014, ‘House Prices Can Fall Too, Warns Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens,’ The Sydney Morning Gerald, March 8, also available from http://www.smh.com.au/national/house-prices-can-fall-too-warns-reserve-bank-governor-glenn-stevens-20140307-34cr5.html Johnstone, T 2014, ‘No Joy For First Timers at Auction: Upgraders Win in Lilyfield as Sydney Records Another Strong Clearance Rate of 82.5 %’, The Sydney Morning Gerald, March 8, also available from http://smh.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/no-joy-for-first-timers-at-auction-20140308-34dud.html Liu, WS Agbola, FW 2014, ‘Regional Analysis of the Impact of Inward Foreign Investment on Economic Growth in the Chinese Electronic Industry,’ Applied Economics, Vol. 1, no. 26, pp. 2576-2592. Macken, L 2014, ‘Property: Sydney Expected to Gain Foreign Buyers as Canada Closes Visa Scheme,’ The Sydney Morning Gerald, March 8, also available from http://smh.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/property-sydney-expected-to-gain-foreign-buyers-as-canada-closes-visa-scheme-20140307-34cr6.html Nicholls, S Macken, L 2014, ‘Upgraders Keep Sydney Property Market Bouyant,’ The Sydney Morning Gerald, March 8, also available from http://smh.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/upgraders-keep-sydney-property-market-buoyant-20140314-34rqe.html Sakovics, J Steiner J 2012, ‘Who Matters in Coordinating Problems? American Economic Review, Vol. 102, no. 7, pp. 3439-3461. Appendices Figure 1: Demand and Supply curve showing market equilibrium Price S PEMarket Equilibrium D QE Quantity S Supply curve PE Equilibrium price D-Demand curve QE Equilibrium quantity Figure 2- An increase in demand for houses raises the price of Sydney houses Price Supply P1 P0 D1 D0 Q0 Q1 Quantity Figure 3: A decrease in supply of houses raises the price PriceS1 S0 P1 P0 Demand Q1 Q0 Quantity Figure 4: An increase in supply by building more houses lowers the price PriceS0 S1 P0 P1 Demand Q0 Q1 Quantity 1

Taoist Reading of Tintern Abbey by William Wordsworth :: Poetry Religion Taoism

Wordsworth's 'hsà ¼': towards a Taoist reading of Tintern Abbey Five years have passed; five summers, with the length Of five long winters! And again I hear These waters, rolling from their mountain springs With a sweet inland murmur. (1-4) "Tintern Abbey"'s opening lines prepare the reader for a reunion, notable in tone not only for the sense of anticipation with which the poet apprehends this moment, but equally so for the poignancy which immediately inflects the poem's proceedings. My reading of "Tintern Abbey" takes as its most prominent concern the sense in which Wordsworth's "Revisiting the Banks of the Wye" represents a haven-seeking of sorts. Since his visit to the Wye in 1793, much has happened to Wordsworth: he has found, and relinquished, his first romantic love in Annette Vallon. As a young would-be radical, sympathetic to the ideals of the French Revolution, he finds himself at odds with London's entrenched conservatism. In 1795, after well over a decade of only intermittent contact with his sister, Wordsworth and his beloved Dorothy are reunited at Racedown, at about the same time that they make the acquaintance of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Within two years of this happy occasion, the two Wordsworths wi ll move to Alfoxden to be near Coleridge. The ensuing years of intense friendship and creative discourse will yield, by 1798, the collaborative Lyrical Ballads, to which "Tintern Abbey" belongs. As we consider the tumult and activity that have characterized this period of his life, we might well speculate upon the nature of the thoughts going through Wordsworth's mind as he surveys the Abbey from his vantage on the riverbank; my own temptation is to equate the quietly reflective tone of the poem with the Taoist notion of hsà ¼. In Taoism hsà ¼ is defined -- in describing a state of mind -- as meaning: absolute peacefulness and purity of mind and freedom from worry and selfish desires and not to be disturbed by incoming impressions or to allow what is already in the mind to disturb what is coming into the mind. Hsà ¼-shih means unreality and reality, but hsà ¼ also means profound and deep continuum in which there is no obstruction. (Wing-tsit Chan, A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy. Princeton University Press, 1963.

Answering Question

Psychology in its attempt to establish itself as a scientific study has come up with ingenious ways to be scientific and objective. It was accepted that psychology was concerned with the thoughts, emotions, feelings and the inner processes of the individual, hence to study these aspects; it must develop a method that would dig and explore the said human processes. And the answer was the introspective method. However, as soon as it gained following, it also earned criticisms and lead to another methodological development. The major criticism against the introspective method was its subjectivity and unreliability which basically goes against its being a scientific tool. Conversely, the answer to the introspective method was behaviorism which is completely at odds with it. Behaviorism reduces human behavior into a simple equation wherein a stimulus produces a response and that in order to understand human behavior one must employ the tools of behaviorism. This method appealed to the scientific community as it is measurable, observable and can be replicated. Behaviorism was thought of as a better approach than the introspective method and hence swept it away. The basic aspect that made the introspective method flawed and unscientific is also the same thing that behaviorism neglected to acknowledge and would have enriched this movement more than it is. I believe that people’s introspections are as much as important as the overt behavior of individuals. Psychology is the study of man’s behavior and our behavior cannot be reduced into a simple stimulus is to response theory. Clearly, something happens between the perception of the stimulus and the subsequent reaction to the stimulus. Like for example when my professor told us to work on this assignment, it being the stimulus for sure I and all my classmates will react to it by accomplishing our assigned tasks. However, the bulk of the work happens between the day the tasks were assigned to us and the day we submit our completed papers. Taking it further, when I read the questions of this assignment which happens to be the stimulus, I would naturally begin to draft my answers hence my response to the stimulus. But before coming up with my answers, I have to look inward and ask myself what should be the appropriate answer for this question and how should I present my arguments, in essence I was being introspective. Why we do the things we do can not be fully explained by behaviorism alone. As dynamic human beings with different experiences, we may react to things in the same way but we may have different perceptions or understanding of that stimuli, like when we hear a baby cry, most of us would go and pick the baby to make it stop, but I might do so because the sound of a crying baby is irritating and another person might pick the baby up out of a genuine concern for the baby, hence what goes on inside our mind is much as important in determining how we react to certain things, why we make decisions and pass judgments on others etc. Man is a complex being and the vital aspects that would lead to a better study and understanding of man are found on inner processes that cannot be directly observed and quantified, which is why the mechanistic approach of behaviorism was short-lived. By completely throwing man’s introspections out of the picture, behaviorism threw out what made psychology human. What factors are responsible for the development of modern cognitive psychology? Cognitive psychology is the study of the science of knowing. Its study encompasses the basic thought processes of man and its importance to our daily existence. The modern cognitive psychology movement has been influenced by computer technology. In order to better understand how the brain functions and how it controls everything that we do, we must first study it, but since it is ethically impossible to take a healthy person’s brain and study it, we must find a similar model, and this is where the idea that the computer is much alike the brain. With its immense computing power, the computer have been developed to simulate human intelligence and allowed a new way of studying how the brain stores, records, and processes information. Moreover, the brain as the single controlling processing unit in man, it is responsible for all of our bodily actions thus recent developments in imaging have given psychologists the opportunity to study what part of the brain is responsible for what action and how bizarre diseases can be explained by a dysfunction in the brain like the Capgras syndrome. Write a 200-300 word summary and critical analysis of this article. Discuss what the article is basically about, its strong and weak points, how convincing (or unconvincing) you find its arguments, and how it might be followed up (e.g., if you think the article suggests any promising, new ideas for future research, describe what they are and how they might best pursued.) The article attempts to discuss how cognitive psychology developed. Kedler proposes that cognitive psychology was not born rather it slowly came into being. The author then presents the influences that contributed to the development of cognitive psychology in history. He says that due to the curious mix of theoretical approaches in cognitive psychology it is not a singularly minded discipline like structuralism or Gestalt psychology. Moreover, the author claims that because of the complexity in the theories within cognitive psychology and the different areas of study within the discipline have made it more computer science than psychology. The strengths of this article are found on its exhaustive presentation of the different theoretical influences in the field of psychology, from Wund’s introspectionism, Piaget’s cognitive development, Tolman’s cognitive map, and a host of other theories that he categorizes as a study of cognition. He also gave emphasis on how the fields of communications engineering, computer science, linguistics and human engineering as the mover in the field of cognitive psychology in terms of new researches and areas of discourse. The weakness of this article is in the fact that it was not able to prove how cognitive psychology came into being. The author only enumerated and discussed the numerous theories that had to do with cognition, memory and learning. What he presented were the natural consequences of the theories and a novel explanation of how this theories influenced cognitive psychology is not reiterated, its as if the reader is left to deduce how that came about. The article is convincing in terms of how cognitive psychology is made up of a number of schools of thought and but it is unconvincing when it says that cognitive psychology is more of a computer science than psychology, when clearly it is within the realms of psychology based on the processes involved in learning, memory, and processing. At the same way, human engineering, communications engineering, linguistics and computer science are based on psychological processes and use constructs that have been studied and explored by psychology first. References Kendler, H. (1987) Cognitive Psychology in Richard P. Honeck, Introductory Readings for Cognitive Psychology 3rd ed   p.6-13 (1997), William C. Brown Communications Reisberg, D. (2001). Cognition: Exploring the Science of the Mind   2nd edition. New York: WW Norton 2001                                       

Designing a Syllabus

From the theories given above, we conclude that when designing a syllabus, curriculum, school mission and students' needs should be taken in consideration in order to achieve learning objectives. As stated by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kosova (MESTK) â€Å"In order to achieve the targeted aims and objectives of particular grade English language curriculum and to cover the topical content of particular grade syllabus, teachers should select and use materials of appropriate level from textbook(s) and other sources (online magazines and newspapers, TV, video, Internet). These materials should be primarily dedicated to teenagers and young adults. It remains in the teacher's domain to select teaching materials that may be type and profile appropriate, which (s)he may use either as alternative or as supplementary material in the English language program.Although it is estimated that within a school year, approximately 8 content areas should be covered, it is the teacher's responsibility to plan the number of topical areas (units) and the composition of it, in accordance with the total amount of hours dedicated to English in different types of vocational schools. In addition, teachers may plan an amount of 20 – 30% of overall teaching materials, which (s)he may use with a particular profile of learners in order to cover specific professional needs and meet the requirements of particular vocational schools. These could be a selection of specific texts/materials suitable for the particular type/profile of vocational schools (e.g. texts in medical field, technical field, business, catering†¦). Apart from this, teachers may use supplementary materials to suit the learners' needs, that is, their background knowledge (or lack of it), their interests and motivation. Supplementary materials (video tapes, documentary films, drama activities, projects, contests and quizzes, and similar), may be used either within regular English classes, or within additional activities planned by the vocational school curriculum (choice subjects, extra-curricular activities, and similar).† The above citation can be found on the website of MESTK under the section of vocational schools curriculum. However, the difference between general schools and vocational schools' curriculum is made only by the part cited in this paper. I.e. English language taught in professional schools despite different study domain, is not treated as ESP program but the burden falls on the teacher who, besides the units that are envisaged to be included in the program, is obliged to select additional materials which are profile appropriate. Scholars as Dudley-Evans and ST John (1998) describe the teacher as the material selector, researcher, and an evaluator as well as syllabus designer. They continue their argument emphasizing that these roles cannot be fulfilled if the learners' needs are not analyzed beforehand. ESP teachers have to complete all the roles mentioned above in order to achieve the harmony between, students' needs, study domain and the curriculum designed by the Ministry of Education. 2.5 Using textbooks in the lesson Textbooks have an essential role in language classrooms in all types of educational situations. It is a kind of media used by both students and teachers. When using a textbook teacher is assured that everyone in the class is getting the same amount of knowledge and that they are equally evaluated and tested. Course books provide a diversity of learning resources since they make a set of workbooks, cassette tapes, or CD-ROMs, and a teacher's guide. Richards (2010) claims that there are also some disadvantages in using textbooks; for example, they may not reflect students' needs. Each textbook aims to occupy the global market and so it is unable to serve everyone's needs. There are innumerous textbooks which are designed for teaching-learning process but not all of them are categorized as good textbooks. As the result, before choosing a textbook, teachers should really understand about needs, interests, abilities, and level of the students. Similarly, Harmer (2007) declares that the most important part of the use of textbook is to adopt the needs of the students. Bertin (2003) proclaims that it is a special skill that teachers should have in order to choose the textbook that suits language level, content, activity and the logical order of the textbook. In English for foreign learners (EFL) classes, a course book is the key to language teaching, language learning as well as it is a window to particular language culture. Nevertheless as Dickins (1994) clarifies, that the resources evaluation literature tends to focus absolutely on the analysis of the product. This means that teachers themselves carry out the evaluation of textbooks in order to conclude which materials best suit their purposes, schools mission and students' needs. Despite its special importance, regarding features mentioned above, a textbook should be selected and evaluated carefully before used in the class. Cunningsworth (1995) proposes four criteria for analyzing textbooks:o â€Å"Coursebooks should correspond to student's needs. o They should match learners' uses (present or future). Selected textbooks should equip learners with the knowledge that will effectively serve them for their purposes.o They should take in consideration students needs and facilitate their learning process.o They should have a key role as a sustention to learning. Their role is similar to teachers. They negotiate between the target language and the student.†

Persuasive Paragragh essays

Persuasive Paragragh essays Students should be required to complete all twelve grades of school. This would benefit the students to finish their education because they would become smarter and more skillful. By being smarter and more skillful, these students would most likely continue onto college to learn a professional job. This way they would have more opportunities open to them in the future. Most students would be proud and have higher self-esteem because they finished school. This might encourage them to expand their knowledge and choose a path theyd be happy with in their future. The U.S. would also have a smaller unemployment rate because a majority of the students that finished their twelve grades would get a job and learn one or more. Finally, from my own observations, I have realized that teenagers I know who dropped out of school get into trouble. If the students stay in school, there would be less time for them to get in trouble, therefore bettering them. In conclusion, I have stated that requiring students to complete all twelve grades of school not only affects them, but the people around them who notice their effort, and our country in seek of a more intelligent generation in the future. Kaufman, Daniel J. United States Navy Encarta Encyclopedia. 1999 Ed. ...

Quality statistics paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Quality statistics - Research Paper Example Here quality plays a significant role in ensuring the survival of companies in tough competitive businesses by inspecting the existing processes and discovering the new ones. In order to manufacture goods or offer products or services to the customers, companies employ different processes. A process is defined as a collection of interrelated and planned activities carried out to produce goods (products) and services (Oakland, 2008). There are different variations associated with each process due to number of sources and factors. Berger and Hart (1986) highllighted that variations can be inherent to the process due to its nature and are terms as common causes of variation. However, there are variations in process that result from external sources or special causes and are termed as special causes of variation. Since 1920s manufacturing has benefitted from the SPC techniques in its decision making processes (Morestream, 1920). Especially, this is true with the control charts that help to identify if a variation is really present and assist to determine if the actions need to be taken to bring the process back in statistical controls. The strength of the statistical process control techniques is its simplicity and ease in understanding equally at the management and worker level as appreciated by Thompson and Koronacki (2002). Statistical process controls allows objective investigation of the parts or whole of a process that may mask sources of variations that interfere with the level of product quality. If detected, SPC can help to numerically measure the significance of the variations and subject these to correction (Wheeler and Chamber, 2010). Consequently, the controlling of variations would reduce wastes and improve the product quality. It is crucial to understand that not all the SPC techniques are applicable to all scenarios and largely depend on type of the data and the type of the variation under investigation (Czitrom and Spagon, 1997). For example, in th is report we have analyzed the processes of providing the customer support services by an IT Call Center. In this aspect, the major quality issue was the call waiting time i.e., average waiting time during a service call. This is the time when the customer is holding on the phone line and waiting to be connected to any of the customer service representative. Introduction From the conception to design and further to manufacturing of a product, the variations introduced during initial processes become manifold towards the delivery of the product to the customer and severely impact the quality of the product. Oakland (2008) explains that there are two major types of variations in the process; common and special variations. The common variations are generally intrinsic to the process and cannot be eliminated without modifying and even eliminating the process or switching to an entirely new process. On the other hand, special causes are a result of some causes that are identifiable and a ssignable and usually appear in more periodic fashion, thus these can be identified and can be reduced/removed with eliminating the source of variation that does not involve process changes (ASQ, 1920). In an effort to identify the process variation and understand the process behavior, statistical techniques and probabilistic methods would be used for analysis. The analysis would be based on the actual

Frontier Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Frontier - Essay Example Turner paints the slavery struggle as just an incident that has a lot of meaning to the American history during the expansion of the westward. Slavery was more rampant just before the end of civil war, but did not become of exclusive importance. This effectively portrays the slavery struggle as an insignificant factor in American history. The most significant impact of the frontier on American history, which Turner unconvincingly contends is the promotion of democracy. A complex society is precipitated by the wilderness, into a kind of primitive organization based on the family. The tendency is anti-social. This produces hostility to control. The tax-gatherer for instance is viewed as a representative of oppression. The same conditions, according to Turner help in explaining the difficulty of forming a strong government in the period of the union. The frontier individualism has from the beginning, therefore promoted democracy. For example, â€Å"the frontier States that came into the Union in the first quarter of a century of its existence came in with democratic suffrage provisions, and had reactive effects of the highest importance upon the older States whose peoples were being attracted there† (Turner 5). Turner concludes that the non-geographical elements of the frontier nevertheless evidently continue with the current phase of globalization that is essentially Americanization. Indeed, Turner reckons that the frontier is the line of most rapid and effective Americanization. According to Turner, another example of how the frontier promoted democracy is given of western New York that forced an extension of suffrage in the constitutional convention of that State in 1821 (Turner 5). In that regard the Turner’s thesis is not convincing because the impetus appears a new wave in the American imperialism’s history. Despite being perceived as an encouragement to the overseas expansion of the United States and promotion of democracy, it does